Transport Department fails to meet revenue target

Vijayawada: The State Transport Department, which is the fourth largest revenue-earning department next to the Registration & Stamps, Commercial Taxes and Excise departments, has failed in achieving the revenue target during the first half of the fiscal year 2022-23. It could earn only Rs 1,767 crore as against the target of Rs 2,584 crore.

There are several factors for falling short of the target. Mainly, bifurcation of districts, uncertainty of the top officers, transfer of local employees and incessant rains and floods have resulted in the low revenue.

The main sources of revenue in the Transport department are Life Tax, Quarterly Tax, and enforcements. The department also gets income from green tax, short term tax, and composite tax. Likewise, it also earns by driving licence fees, permits, pollution testing and other user charges.

In fact, the department had fixed the target to earn about Rs 4,000 crore to Rs 4,500 crore for this current fiscal year. But so far it earned only Rs 1,767 crore.

Meanwhile, despite the hostile situations, NTR district has outshined the 25 districts across the state by achieving 151 percent of the target standing at the top in earnings.

The target for the district was Rs 97 crore till September but it earned Rs 147 crore. But, at the same time the neighbouring Krishna district failed to reach its target. It earned only 53 percent of the income against the target. So far, the district has obtained only Rs 69 crore.

Before the formation of NTR district, the combined Krishna district (including Vijayawada) was in the top position in revenue earning. On the other hand, the Tirupati District Transport Department stood second in the State achieving above 102 percent with an earning of Rs 99 crore and the Visakhapatnam district secured the third place by earning Rs 170 crore. The Chief Minister's home district, YSR Kadapa, could mop up only Rs 76 crore.